Liverpool

Gary Rose
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

This was a much-needed win for Liverpool, with the pressure having ramped up on them following Sunday's loss to one of their biggest rivals at Anfield.

In an effort to instigate a turnaround Arne Slot decided to start forwards Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak for the first time, with the pair appearing to line up as a front two in Frankfurt.

Initially the formation tweak appeared to unsettle the visitors, with the hosts - supported by a very vocal crowd - dominating the opening stages.

Their opener once again exposed Liverpool's defensive frailties as the Reds lost the ball in midfield and Eintracht Frankfurt countered beautifully, tearing through the visitors before Rasmus Kristensen sent a neat finish in off the far post.

That was the 18th goal Liverpool had conceded in 13 games this season - a stark contrast to the seven they had let in at the same stage last term.

But Ekitike's goal against his former club sparked a turnaround as the visitors - who had not scored a first-half goal in any of their past four games - added two more in five minutes before the break.

That visibly deflated the hosts and they were a distant second best in a second half Liverpool dominated.

Slot took a risk by not starting Mohamed Salah - who has scored 52 goals in the Champions League - but it was a risk that paid off with this emphatic victory that Liverpool fans will hope inspire their side to return to their best.

Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike, speaking to TNT Sports: "It was a great feeling [to come back to Frankfurt]. It was something special to come back home.

"To win and score my first Champions League goal here was important. I just keep it calm and cool. I knew he would come and open his legs so I put it between the legs and that worked."

On his first start with Alexander Isak: "I think it was good. We can improve together and he is a very good player, we need to work together and find a good association."

On why he has settled in so quickly: "I have very good team-mates, staff and I love my life here. I hope I can keep going because it's about consistency in football. I feel really good and they have helped me a lot, that is why I am calm and doing my thing."

On not celebrating his goal: "I have so much respect for Frankfurt. They made me the player I am and I wouldn't be here if I didn't go to Frankfurt. I am respectful and grateful for what they did to me."

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk, also speaking to TNT Sports: "I don't know if it's a statement, but it is a win and something to build on.

"I've been in the football business for a while, so not relief. Obviously we are disappointed with losing games, so it's something we have to deal with, stick together and keep working.

"Today we won and have to be ready for Brentford on Saturday. We don't get dragged into the negative things that are going around. The only way you can play your game is to focus on the task ahead.

"Keep going, don't get dragged into all that stuff."

Did you know?

• Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike is the first player to score both for and against Eintracht Frankfurt in major European competition.

• All five of Reds captain Virgil van Dijk's Uefa Champions League goals have been headers from corners – this is the second-most goals by any player in the competition's history with 100% being headed, behind only Diego Simeone (six).

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

What did you make of Liverpool's display?

Come back to this page on Thursday to find a selection of your replies

Striker Hugo Ekitike starts for Liverpool against his former club as Mohamed Salah drops to the bench.

In total there are five changes by Arne Slot, with Jeremie Frimpong, Andy Robertson, Curtis Jones and Florian Wirtz also starting.

Eintracht Frankfurt XI: Zetterer, Theate, Koch, Amenda, Kristensen, Larsson, Gotze, Brown, Doan, Knauff, Bahoya.

Subs: Batshuayi, Burkardt, Buta, Chandler, Chaibi, Collins, Dahoud, Wahi, Grahl, Santos, Skhiri, Uzun

Liverpool XI: Mamardashvili, Van Dijk, Konate, Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Isak, Jones, Gakpo, Ekitike, Robertson, Frimpong.

Subs: Woodman, Misciur, Gomez, Endo, Kerkez, Mac Allister, Salah, Bradley, Chiesa, Ngumoha.

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Paul Birch
BBC Sport journalist

If Liverpool lose at Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday it will be the first time for 72 years that they have lost five games on the spin.

Early in the 1953-54 First Division season they were beaten by Bolton Wanderers, Newcastle United, Preston North End, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur and went on to finish bottom of the league.

It was the last time they were relegated from the top-flight.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

After our fan writer Josh Sexton listed five ways for Arne Slot's to reverse Liverpool's fortunes, we asked for your suggestions.

Here are some of your comments:

Jim: Slot must give Mohamed Salah a rest and start Federico Chiesa, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike. They made massive differences against United but they were not given enough time.

Rob: Slot was the best thing since slice bread after winning the Premier League in his debut season despite only spending £10 million on one player who hardly started a match. Won the Premier League the old-school way. This season, Slot has brought in players that will need time to settle in despite the high fees spent. Wait till the Christmas/New Year period and see what happens.

Nick: Commit to the moves. Start Wirtz - it will be his team/he'll be the driving influence anyway. Start Dominik Szobozlai alongside Ryan Gravenberch - Alexis Mac Alister has been awful, and the former cannot be a utility man. Pick a right-back and stick with them. Play faster because it is so slow in attack. Give Chiesa some starts ahead of Salah - his mind is elsewhere, and he is in shocking form. Fix the press, which has all but vanished. Not much, is it?

G: I agree with Josh and think Slot needs to play Rio Ngumoha more as well. I would definitely rotate Mo - he's been terrible and we are badly missing Luis Diaz and Trent Alexander-Arnold. But why buy players if you're hardly going to use them (Jeremie Frimpong)? It just doesn't make sense - I have no faith in us winning games anymore. I'm grateful to Slot for winning us the league again but I so wish Jurgen was still our manager. I absolutely cannot see us retaining the title.

Stuart: Agree, apart from on Kerkez. He is doing nothing wrong. Slot needs to let him play as an attacking left-back not as a centre-back. Cody Gakpo needs to come out of the team as he is one-dimensional and never passes the ball to Kerkez for the runs we bought him for. Salah should have been rotated over the past two years. There's a reason he doesn't perform in finals and at the back end of seasons - successive managers overplay him!

Andrew: While agreeing with Slot about fine margins, our defensive cohesion and intensity to win the ball back has almost disappeared, which means we are so open defensively down both flanks as a result. Rest Salah and play Szoboszlai on the right to support Conor Bradley and allow Wirtz to come into attacking midfield. Rest Milos Kerkez and bring in Andy Robertson as we have lost the left-sided link-up. Build Alexander Isak up from the bench as Ekitike and start with Curtis Jones who has done well when coming on.

Neil: Arne Slot needs to ignore any advice on social media including this message.

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Nizaar Kinsella
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Eintracht Frankfurt forward Jean-Matteo Bahoya is the fastest player in the Bundesliga and looking to break out of Hugo Ekitike's shadow.

The 20-year-old winger clocked a remarkable 37.16 km/h (23.09 mph) in a match against Bochum last season. His speed, which meant he was the first player to break the 37 km/h (23 mph) mark, according to the Bundesliga's figures, will be a significant threat when Liverpool visit Deutsche Bank Park later on Wednesday.

Comparably, Olympic great Usain Bolt had an average speed of about 37.58 km/h (23.35 mph) during his 9.58-second 100m world record at the 2009 World Championships.

Bahoya has three goals and one assist having started five of Frankfurt's seven league games this season.

However, he made only nine starts and 14 substitute appearances last season, with Ekitike as the talisman.

Ekitike, a close friend of Bahoya, joined Liverpool this summer after scoring 22 goals and providing 12 assists last season. Omar Marmoush also left in January to join Manchester City.

Now linking with star playmaker Can Uzun, Bahoya won player of the match after scoring twice in a 4-1 win over Werder Bremen on the opening Bundesliga weekend.

Frankfurt reportedly rejected a £61m bid for the forward from an unnamed Saudi club over the summer.

Ekitike will enjoy a quick reunion with his former club but may want to warn manager Arne Slot about the pace they will face down the left wing as Liverpool seek to avoid a fifth successive defeat.

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool will be without midfielder Ryan Gravenberch against Eintracht Frankfurt because of an ankle injury sustained against Manchester United - but head coach Arne Slot has not ruled him out of Saturday's match at Brentford.

The Netherlands international has been one of the Reds' best performers so far this season and Slot highlighted his importance to his team.

"We have to wait and see, give him a bit of time and see where he is when we come back from Frankfurt," Slot told Liverpool's official website.

"It already means I definitely have to change one player. With him not being there, that might mean something for others as well, because he has such a particular quality in our squad.

"We've seen that when we played Bournemouth, for example, and when we played the Community Shield. We missed a little bit of a player that was always protecting our back four.

"Hopefully he will be available at the weekend."

Josh Sexton
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Here are five ways Arne Slot can fix his Liverpool team before their ambitions run away from them this season...

1. Rotate Mohamed Salah

This is a tricky one for both player and manager, but ultimately no player is bigger than the club. Mo is in a tricky moment and shouldn't be immune from criticism, and therefore should be open to dropping in and out more as he fights alongside his team-mates to find form.

2. Drop Alexis Mac Allister

After some strange injury issues at the back end of 2024-25 bled into the start of this season, it has become clear that Mac Allister is struggling for both form and fitness. He has been brilliant for Slot so I completely understand the loyalty being shown towards him, but he is upsetting the balance of the midfield right now and needs a spell out of the side to allow others in better form to step in.

• Not a Reds fan? Find your club here

3. Leave Milos Kerkez out

The youngster was brilliant at Bournemouth but appears to be struggling with the pressure of playing for a big club like Liverpool, with a more expansive style that leaves him a little less protected. Meanwhile, the manager has continued to persist with him, which has opened him up for criticism. It doesn't have to be Andy Robertson, either. If it can be Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back, why can't it be Joe Gomez (for example) at left-back?

4. Play Hugo Ekitike

Aside from Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravernberch, Ekitike has arguably been the most in-form man this season for the Reds. He made a major mistake in getting sent off against Southampton, one that seems a sliding doors moment more with every passing week and loss, but his energy and surety through the middle makes such a difference.

5. Keep Szoboszlai in midfield

Slot saw success last season in simplifying the roles of a number of his players, especially those who had been struggling previously. Szoboszlai has been great but the toll is starting to become clear and he is being exposed time and again at right-back, as teams figure him out more in that position. Jeremie Frimpong was signed to play right-back and has hardly had a sniff, so why not give him an extended run instead?

Find more from Josh Sexton, external on outlets including The Anfield Wrap, external

Do you agree with Josh?

Or are there any more pressing issues Slot faces?

Tell us here

Liverpool are considering a move for Bournemouth and Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo, 25, in the January transfer window. (i Paper - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

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Liverpool's pre-match news conference for their Champions League game against Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday has been cancelled.

The club said: "A delay in the Reds squad's scheduled flight to Frankfurt, due to technical issues with the aircraft, means the briefing will now not be able to take place."

Coach Arne Slot was expected to answer questions on the fitness of Ryan Gravenberch after the midfielder missed training on Tuesday.

Image source, Getty Images

Eintracht Frankfurt head coach Dino Toppmoller says Liverpool "seem to lack a bit of a spark at the moment" but have been "the better team" in each game of their current four-match losing streak.

The Reds visit Frankfurt in the Champions League on Wednesday on the back of defeats at Crystal Palace, Galatasaray and Chelsea - and, most recently, by Manchester United at Anfield.

It is the worst losing run the club have experienced since 2014 under Brendon Rodgers and Toppmoller believes this will only add to their motivation.

"When you watch the games, which of course we did, you see that they seem to lack a bit of a spark at the moment," he said.

"But in every game, they've been the better team and have had more chances at goal.

"We're expecting a world-class team. You've got to be aware of what it does to a team to lose four in a row."

Arne Slot left £116m summer signing Floran Wirtz on the bench for Sunday's loss to United, with the Germany international yet to register a goal or assist since his arrival at Anfield.

However, Toppmoller said Wirtz's performances were "quite decent, even if he hasn't got the numbers he had in Leverkusen".

"He's at a club where the spotlight is so bright and where people across the world are always watching," he added.

"I'm incredibly convinced of his quality. I hope he doesn't show that tomorrow, that's something we should worry about."

Karan Vinod
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch was absent from training before Wednesday's Champions League game at Eintracht Frankfurt.

The Netherlands international suffered an ankle injury during Sunday's defeat by Manchester United at Anfield. He was able to complete 62 minutes before being withdrawn as part of a wholesale tactical change by head coach Arne Slot.

Gravenberch, 23, has become crucial to Slot's set-up, operating as a defensive midfielder.

His ability to break up opposition play, recycle possession and shield the backline is unmatched within the current squad.

His absence also leaves a notable gap, particularly in transitional play, and it could force the manager to adjust his midfield set-up for both domestic and European matches.

Curtis Jones, who came on in Gravenberch's place on Sunday, is arguably the most natural option capable of covering this position, but he does not offer the same defensive presence or control.

Wataru Endo has returned to training after a hamstring injury, but appears unlikely to be considered for Gravenberch's role in Germany.

Liverpool's defence has already conceded 15 goals this season, and we are only in October, making Gravenberch's absence even more significant.

Slot will need to adjust the midfield balance carefully, as how quickly Gravenberch returns could be key for stabilising the team for crucial Champions League and domestic fixtures.

Slot is due to face the media later on Tuesday so return to this page for all the key lines from his news conference

Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock has been unpicking the club's full-back situation.

On BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club, Warnock expressed the signing of Jeremie Frimpong is a "utility player" but not a defender.

"The right-back situation is a mess," former Premier League striker Chris Sutton said on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.

"Szoboszlai has been their best midfielder, so playing him there kills him. And Frimpong, I don't care what anyone says, how can you spend that money on a right-back who can't really play there? It's bonkers."

The team also discussed the form of Milos Kerkez since his move to Anfield.

Warnock added: "I thought it would be a really good signing. Bournemouth under Iraola are a counter-attacking team. He was a counter-attacking full-back. He always had that space to drive into. Now he doesn't because you dominate the football. Is he good enough on the ball? I think he is but at the moment I think he is trying too hard.

"I think the situation now is Bradley and Kerkez want to fly forward. Robertson last year wasn't a flying full-back. He sat in and made it a back three. That's when Liverpool were more solid last year. So you are losing that balance at the back as well."

Listen to Monday Night Club here

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool versus Manchester United was a cracker, filled with incidents, effort and talking points.

‌Are Liverpool in crisis? Is that really Mo Salah out on the wing and are they a group of individuals not a team?

Was the referee harsh on them for the first goal? Has Arne Slot destroyed a squad that was so successful? And so on...

‌The United questions are just as obvious: is this a turning point? Why don't they show that level of desire every week? Were they actually just a bit lucky as Liverpool hit the post three times? And if the famous 3-4-2-1 system can win at Anfield, can it succeed everywhere?

‌Tempting though it is to answer all of these after one pulsating match, or in Liverpool's case four defeats in a row, it's still nothing more than guesswork this early in the season.

‌My guess is that Liverpool will be fine, they are still making plenty of chances and there are some very good players who will improve and definitely learn to work better together.

‌Manchester United are harder to read. Under Ruben Amorim they have had more false dawns than a Scottish winter. If they are still within striking distance of the top four by Christmas then acceptable progress will have been made.

In the meantime, United fans must celebrate a famous, rare victory at Anfield - and then hope it isn't a one off.

Sign up to read more from Pat Nevin in his Football Extra newsletter

Emily Salley
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Mohamed Salah has been Liverpool's talisman for the past eight seasons.

But, after scoring 29 goals in 38 league games last season, the winger has not been firing on all cylinders so far this term.

Salah has not scored in the Premier League since 14 September when he netted a stoppage-time penalty to earn a 1-0 win over Burnley, while he has not scored from open play in the league since the Reds' opening game against Bournemouth.

• Read: What does Slot need to change?

It is the first time he has gone seven consecutive Premier League games without scoring a non-penalty goal since joining the Reds back in 2017.

The 33-year-old's lack of form was summed up on Sunday when he skewed a golden opportunity wide in front of the Kop as Liverpool were chasing an equaliser.

Salah seems to be lacking confidence when it comes to taking on defenders. Known for his rapid attacking runs, the Egyptian isn't driving fearlessly at defences the way he used to.

Slow build-up play isn't helping Salah, who thrives when attacking at speed and prefers to face defenders head-on, rather than with his back to goal.

Premier League great Wayne Rooney has questioned Salah's recent work ethic and, without contributing in front of goal, more scrutiny has been placed on his reluctance to track back and help out in defence.

But does Slot feel confident enough to drop a player who has been Liverpool's hero on so many occasions?

Jordan Chamberlain
Fan writer

Arne Slot won the Premier League for Liverpool last season. That much gives him an entire year to make mistakes without even the threat of losing his job.

But my word, he made some strange decisions against Manchester United.

In the first half, five Liverpool players were standing on United's backline when we had the ball. All three forwards, plus Alexis Mac Allister and Dom Szoboszlai. There was no midfield and, as a result, no chance for build-up.

Mac Allister, who is having a genuinely dreadful season, is not a striker. If you are going to play a midfielder that high up, why would you not use Florian Wirtz? The German was just about Liverpool's only bright spark when he came on for 30 minutes - he created three chances and showed a sublime touch between the lines.

Mac Allister is way, way off it. He scored two for Argentina during the international break, but looks a complete shadow of himself. He is not getting stuck in, he is not controlling play and he is not making any passes. It is very odd.

Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah were in contention for Premier League player of the season last term, with the latter winning it, but he has been very poor, too.

It says a lot when Slot is taking Salah off with five minutes to go. His replacement, Jeremie Frimpong, beat his man and put a cross on a plate for Cody Gakpo, who somehow missed an open goal.

There is an issue with confidence, an issue with coherence and an issue with tactics; there are none. Liverpool have multiple brilliant players but all are playing in slightly odd positions that do not suit them.

Slot has lost four games on the trot with one of the most expensively assembled squads in the history of football. He needs to step it up.

Put yourself in Slot's shoes - what does he need to change to turn Liverpool's form around?

Send us your thoughts here

Find more from Jordan Chamberlain at Empire of the Kop, external

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We asked for your views on what Liverpool boss Arne Slot needs to do to turn his side's poor form around after four straight defeats.

Here are some of your comments:

Jim: For goodness sake. Liverpool have torn up last season's champion team and, regardless of the amount spent on new players, Slot will need time to rebuild, which all true Reds fans know he has earned. The media is creating a crisis out of a setback. Top four finish would be a good season for us regardless of foolish media forecasts based on the first five games of the season. It's a cliche - but form is temporary, class is permanent.

Daniel: Liverpool have not been terrible, they have been just off the pace. There is no-one better situated than Slot to fix it. He needs to go back to basics and play a team that has the most minutes together. Joe Gomez and Andy Robertson, for example, to provide solidity at the back. Get better service to Mohamed Salah and play to strengths. Give the new recruits more time in practice to get used to the tactics of the team, the pace and the physicality. It is fine margins we need to turn around.

Mark: This will be a real test for Arne. He won the league with Jurgen Klopp's team - now he is building his own side. Riding high on emotion from the successes of his predecessor, he (and the revamped squad) will be afforded time by the fans to get where they are expected to. However, without progress, without wins, without passion and desire coming through both on and off the pitch, how long will that goodwill last? The comparisons will soon be made.

David: I am not a football manager and always say it is easy when you're sitting in an armchair staring at the screen. But, tactically, I would employ a solid 4-4-2 formation. At the end of Sunday's match, it looked very much like a schoolboy game with lots of players occupying the same area of the playing surface. Slot will turn it around because there are still lots of games left in the season.

Phil: Ibrahima Konate is our main weakness. Not getting Marc Guehi has been a big blow to our defence. We need to get two or three decent defenders in the January window.

Ian: Drop Salah and the rest of those who are not performing. Retaining deadwood in the starting XI is putting us at an immediate disadvantage and that has to stop.

Stevo: Players look lost and are very disjointed and confidence has gone leading to lack of concentration and conceding silly avoidable goals. We don't have a player who can get the game by the scruff of the neck. I just can't see us retaining our title.

Image source, Getty Images

British-record signing Alexander Isak is not doing enough to justify starting ahead of Hugo Ekitike for Liverpool, says former England and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney.

Isak joined the Reds at the start of September for £125m, but has since scored one goal - in the Carabao Cup - in seven appearances.

Sunday's loss to Manchester United at Anfield was his third Premier League start in a row without scoring.

Fellow forward Ekitike, who was a substitute against the Red Devils, has scored four goals for Liverpool, with three of those coming in the league.

"I wouldn't play Isak. He hasn't looked ready since coming from Newcastle," Rooney said on The Wayne Rooney Show.

"He hasn't trained and he hasn't had a pre-season - that's so important. While Newcastle were training, he was probably sitting at home on the phone to his agent for six hours a day trying to get a move.

"It's so difficult when you don't have a pre-season. He might have done stuff by himself but he's paying the price of it.

"On performances, he doesn't deserve to be playing ahead of Ekitike."

Defeat by Manchester United was Liverpool's fourth loss in a row in all competitions, the first time they have endured such a run since November 2014.

Liverpool won the Premier League title last season and, even though they started strongly this term with seven successive wins, they have rarely put together consistently impressive displays across entire games.

"They have got a bit complacent," added Rooney.

"You forget because he won the Premier League, but Arne Slot is still quite young. He is 46 years of age and this is the first time he has lost four in a row in his career.

"[Against Manchester United] he was arguing with the officials on the touchline. I haven't seen that before from him.

"We're starting to see things unfold, which shows that there is pressure there."

Watch The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds

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Neil Atkinson from The Anfield Wrap says Liverpool's performance against Manchester United was "hugely frustrating" and admits head coach Arne Slot has "a lot to do" to break their current run of four consecutive defeats.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast, Atkinson said: "Getting beaten by Everton is worse than getting beaten by Manchester United - it's important to keep things in proportion.

"The match was hugely frustrating in a number of different ways. It was yet another game where Liverpool were 1-0 down before 20 minutes and they were slightly the architects of their own downfall.

"It's fair to say the goal should be more controversial. I'm surprised everybody has glossed over the fact that the lad was down with a head injury. Everyone expected the game to be stopped by the referee, who had an eccentric game at best.

"But Liverpool - the league champions - look very easy to wound at the minute. There are a number of players that played very well last season who look nowhere near those levels this season.

"There's a lot for the manager to do because one of the things that happens when you're on a bad run of form is the players play each other out of form.

"The goalkeeper wasn't great for the opening goal. Virgil van Dijk had his poorest minutes of football since the Community Shield, so that's all very telling."